$1.5 million loan from Saudi Arabia is a gift: Sartaj Aziz

ISLAMABAD- Adviser to Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz informed the Senate's Foreign Affairs committee today that Saudi Arabia had gifted USD 1.5 billion to Pakistan and added that the country would not send arms to Syria or to any other country undergoing a civil war.

Addressing a meeting of the Senate's standing committee on foreign affairs in the federal capital, Aziz said the donation of 1.5 billion dollars by Saudi Arabia was a “gift for the people of Pakistan which was deposited in the Friends of Pakistan fund," said Haji Adeel while talking to journalists after the meeting of the Senate body.

Aziz was further quoted as saying that Pakistan would not send weapons to Syria or to any other country going through civil unrest. While giving details of the Saudi sum received by Pakistan the adviser said, "The grant given by Saudi Arabia is unconditional and in return Pakistan is not supposed to give any thing to kingdom."

Aziz also confirmed purchase of weapons by Saudi Arabia, however he added that the kingdom would not use these these weapons against any other state. He further said Pakistan had to balance its relations with both Iran and Saudi Arabia adding that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would soon visit Iran for which dates are being worked out by both governments.

The adviser also said Pakistan had not changed its foreign policy due to foreign funding. Earlier the Senate committee meeting was held under the chair of Haji Adeel in the Parliament House. Endorsement bills of parliament 2007 regarding foreign loans were discussed. Secretary Law and Justice Barrister Saifullah said that endorsement rights of international agreements must be with the cabinet rather with the parliament because in Britain and many other countries Cabinet sanctions international agreements.

Foreign Secretary Aziz Ahmed Chaudhry said Pakistan has issued 34488 passports on emergency basis for illegally residing Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia to be deported to Pakistan. Those Pakistanis whose documents have finalized they would be sent back on a ticket of one thousand Saudi Riyal and Pakistan International Airline (PIA) is ready to carry Pakistanis back to their country on 1000 Riyals instead of 1500 Riyals and the government has talked with the Saudi government in this regard and illegally dwelling Pakistanis will be brought back to Pakistan.

Saudi government deports Pakistani through Flights charging less than the required expenses but Pakistanis are compelled to wait for quite long in the deportation centre. He said that Prime Minister would soon visit Iran. The committee adopted a resolution while condemning terrorism in China and said that Pakistan’s territory would not be used against their brotherly country China at any means